Pucking contract

Chapter 1: The collision

The puck had barely touched the ice when everything went wrong. Eli Carter heard the crowd roar before he understood why.

One second, he was skating toward the opposing goal, shoulder pressed against another player, the familiar scrape of blades beneath him and the sharp sting of cold air in his lungs.

The next, someone slammed into him from behind. Eli stumbled. His stick flew from his hands. A whistle shrieked across the arena.

Then came shouting. Not the normal kind. This wasn't the excited roar of six thousand fans watching a college hockey game. This was sharper, Angry Confused. Eli spun around. His teammate, Marcus, was down on the ice. For one terrifying second, Eli couldn't tell whether Marcus had hit the boards or another player had taken him down.

"Back off!" someone yelled. Eli pushed forward. "What happened?"Another player shoved him. Eli shoved back. It happened too quickly after that. A helmet hit the ice. Someone grabbed Eli's jersey.

The crowd exploded. And cameras flashed Everywhere, Eli barely noticed them. He was too focused on Marcus. "Get off him!" Eli reached down, but an official stepped between them. "Back away, Carter!""He's hurt!""I said back away!" Eli froze. Marcus was sitting up now. Good.

He was conscious. Good. Then Eli looked toward the other player. No blood. No broken equipment. No obvious injury. Still, the damage had already been done.

The arena screens showed a replay. Eli watched himself collide with the opposing player. The angle made it look worse,much worse. The crowd began chanting. "Carter! Carter! Carter!"Someone booed. Someone else shouted something Eli couldn't make out. He looked toward the student section. And that's when he saw the phones. Hundreds of them, Held above heads,recordingHis stomach dropped.

The game resumed several minutes later, but Eli barely remembered the rest of it. His team lost by one goal. He didn't score. He didn't assist. And when he finally reached the locker room, his phone was already vibrating nonstop inside his bag. He ignored it. For exactly thirty seconds. Then his coach walked in.

Coach Reynolds didn't yell. That was worse."Sit down." Eli sat. Coach closed the locker-room door behind him. "You want to tell me what happened?” I tried to protect Marcus.""I didn't ask what you thought you were doing." Eli looked down."I lost control." Coach's jaw tightened."Yes." The word landed harder than a punch. Outside, reporters were already gathering. Eli could hear them through the walls. "How long is this going to follow me?""As long as people keep watching the video."

Eli rubbed his face. "Great." Coach sat across from him. "You understand what this means?""I might get suspended.""That's one possibility." Eli looked up. Coach's expression was grim. "The university is worried.""About a hockey game?""About you " Silence.

Eli didn't know what to say to that. He had spent years becoming the player everyone wanted him to be. Fast, Reliable, Focused. A future professional, He'd worked for that reputation since he was fourteen.

One mistake, One bad moment, And suddenly he was something else A problem. Coach leaned forward. "There are sponsors asking questions. The athletics department is getting calls. Someone posted a video from a different angle, and it's already reached half the campus." Eli's phone buzzed again.

This time, Coach pointed toward it. "Check it." Eli unlocked the screen. He wished he hadn't.

CARTER OUT OF CONTROL?, HOMETOWN HERO OR CAMPUS MENACE?, HOCKEY STAR'S VIOLENT COLLISION SPARKS CONTROVERSY

There were thousands of comments. Some defended him. Most didn't. Then Eli saw one that made his chest tighten. > He should be kicked off the team. Another: > This is exactly who he is.

Eli stared at the words. Exactly who he is, He didn't know why that one hurt. Maybe because he wasn't sure who he was anymore, Coach stood. "Get some sleep."

"Coach—""You'll meet with the athletics director tomorrow.""Am I suspended?""I don't know." Eli swallowed. "Okay." Coach reached the door. Then stopped,"There may be another option." Eli looked up. "What option?" But Coach had already left. Eli sat alone in the locker room. The arena outside was slowly emptying.

For the first time all night, there was silence. Then his phone buzzed again. This time, it wasn't a news alert. It was a message from an unknown number. You need to fix your image. Eli stared at it. A second message appeared. And I know someone who can help. He frowned. Before he could respond, another notification appeared.

A name, One he hadn't expected. Maya Bennett, Eli groaned. Of all the people on campus, Maya Bennett, The girl who had once called him "the human equivalent of a concussion" during a student council meeting, The girl who had never once smiled at him. The girl who clearly hated him, And apparently, according to whoever had sent the message, the girl who could save his career.

Eli stared at her name. Then laughed once, There was no way. Absolutely no way, But across campus, Maya Bennett was about to receive the same message. And she was about to discover that her carefully organized life had just been knocked completely off balance.